Puppy Care Information

The following recommendations work well for our farm. We accept zero responsibility for the wellbeing of anyone’s animals when these recommendations have been followed. We suggest finding a veterinarian  to help you work on a care plan using their expert advice.

Diet Recommendations:

• Paradise Valley Farm feeds Pedigree Puppy to our puppies. 
• Humans enjoy a variety of things to eat in our diet. However, most dogs actually prefer not to change from one food to another unless they are trained to do so by the way you feed them. Do not feel guilty if your dog is happy eating the same food day after day, week after week. Because of this, we recommend that you make a slow transition over the course of a couple weeks if you decide to change to a different food from what your puppy is currently being fed.
• Diet is extremely important during the growing months of a dog's life. We recommend name brand foods made by a national dog food company (not a generic or local brand) and a diet MADE FOR PUPPIES. This should be fed until your puppy is about twelve to eighteen months of age, depending on its breed and size. We recommend that you only buy food that has been certified by an independent organization as complete and balanced. In the United States, you should look for food that has been certified by AAFCO, an independent organization that oversees the entire pet food industry. It does not endorse any particular food, but it will certify that the food has met the minimum requirements for nutrition. 
• Table foods are not recommended. Because they are generally very tasty, dogs will often begin to hold out for these and not eat their well-balanced dog food. If you choose to give your puppy table food, be sure that at least 90% of its diet is good quality commercial puppy food.
• How often to feed your puppy:
  • There are several “right” ways to feed puppies. The most popular method is commonly called “meal feeding.” This means that the puppy is fed at specific times of the day. A measured amount of food should be offered four times per day for five to twelve week old puppies. What is not eaten within thirty minutes is taken up. If the food is eaten within three to four minutes, the quantity is probably not sufficient. Puppies fed in this manner generally begin to cut back on one of those meals by three to four months of age and perhaps another one later. If a certain feeding is ignored for several days, it should be discontinued.

Getting Your House Ready for Your New Puppy:

• It is very important that you provide stimulating play for your puppy, especially during the first week in its new home. Stalking and pouncing are important play behaviors in puppies and are necessary for proper muscular development. Your puppy will be less likely to use family members for these activities if you provide adequate puppy-safe toys. The best toys are lightweight and movable. Any toy that is small enough to be swallowed should be avoided
• Chewing is a normal puppy behavior. Almost all of a puppy’s 28 baby teeth are present by about four weeks of age. They begin to fall out at four months of age and are replaced by the 42 adult (permanent) teeth by about six months of age. Therefore, chewing is a puppy characteristic that you can expect until about six to seven months of age. It is important Page 5 of 8 that you do what you can to direct your puppy’s chewing toward acceptable objects. You should provide puppy-safe items such as nylon chew bones and other chew toys so other objects are spared.

Welcoming Your New Puppy Home:

• Potty Training:
  • Housebreaking should begin as soon as your puppy enters his new home. How long the training must continue depends on both the puppy and you. Some pups learn sooner than others. Your dog wants to please you. But a puppy's memory is short, so your patience is important. A home with a poorly trained puppy is not a happy home for you or the puppy.
  • Separate potty time and play time. First thing in the morning, take your puppy out to go potty - when they do, reward them with a treat or petting and immediately go inside. If you play during this time outside, your puppy will have a harder time learning the new routine of going potty when it’s expected. 
• Discipline:
  • Disciplining a young puppy may be necessary if its behavior threatens people or property, but harsh punishment should be avoided. Hand clapping and using shaker cans or horns can be intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior. However, remote punishment is preferred. Remote punishment consists of using something that appears unconnected to the punisher to stop the problem behavior. Examples include using spray bottles, throwing objects in the direction of the puppy to startle (but not hit) it, and making loud noises. Remote punishment is preferred because the puppy associates punishment with the undesirable act and not with you.

Collar / Leash Training

• It’s very important to get your puppy used to being on a collar / leash. To get them used to the idea of being on a leash, for the first few days, you can hook a leash to their collar and let them drag it around the house. Keep watch and make sure they don’t chew on it!
• We do NOT recommend use of retractable leashes. They can allow your puppy to get very far away from you and accidents can happen quickly when you are too far away to react / protect your puppy. 
• Harnesses can be used when walking your puppy - but harnesses teach your puppy to pull. In the beginning, use a collar to teach them not to pull on a leash and how to behave properly. 
• Once your puppy is settled at home, and old enough for puppy classes, we strongly recommend that you enroll - this is a vital opportunity for socializing and training for your puppy AND you! Most trainers teach YOU how to teach your dog, this allows you to build a bond with your puppy that is very strong!

Health Care:

• We recommend a wellness visit with a veterinarian soon after bringing your puppy home. They will do an overall wellness check, get their next round of booster vaccines updated, and check for any intestinal parasites. 
•  Vaccinations:
  • Your puppy has received its first booster of Distemper/Parvo. Please follow up with your vet for their recommended vaccine schedule for your puppy.
  • The core vaccination schedule will protect your puppy from several common diseases: distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza virus, parvovirus, leptospirosis and rabies. The first four are included in one injection that is given at 6 to 8, 12, and 16 weeks old. Rabies vaccine is given at 12 to 16 weeks of age. Your puppy should receive a kennel cough vaccine if a trip to a boarding kennel or groomer is likely or if it will be placed in a puppy training class. 
• Intestinal Parasites (Worms):
  • Paradise Valley Farm deworms puppies at 2, 4, and 6 weeks of age. 
  • Intestinal parasites are very common in puppies. Puppies can become infected with parasites before they are born or later through their mother's milk. 
  • Some intestinal parasites can be transmitted to humans.
  • Tapeworms are one of the most common intestinal parasites of dogs. Puppies become infected with them when they swallow fleas; the eggs of the tapeworm live inside the flea. When the dog chews or licks its skin as a flea bites, the flea may be swallowed. The flea is digested within the dog's intestine; the tapeworm hatches and then anchors itself to the intestinal lining. Therefore, exposure to fleas may result in a new infection.
• Heartworm / Flea / Tick Prevention:
  • Heartworms are important parasites, especially in certain climates. They live in the dog’s bloodstream and cause major damage to the heart and lungs. Heartworms are transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes. We recommend that every puppy stays on heartworm prevention year round. Follow up with your veterinarian to get the best recommendations for where you live!
  • Fleas and ticks can cause secondary health issues that can become serious if left untreated. Fleas do not spend all of their time on your puppy, they spend a lot of time in their bedding and other areas where they can lay their eggs. We recommend that every puppy stays on flea / tick prevention all year round - Follow up with your veterinarian to decide which product is best for where you live!
• Bath time:
  • Most puppies only need a bath (with soap/shampoo) every 3-4 weeks. Giving them baths more frequently can cause their skin to get dried out and flaky and can lead to health issues. 
    
  • Your puppy can be rinsed with just water as often as is needed.